


Stars in Your Eyes

by itswheremydemonshide10



Series: Tumblr Prompts [12]
Category: Emmerdale, Roblivion - Fandom, robron
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-22 23:33:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11977428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itswheremydemonshide10/pseuds/itswheremydemonshide10
Summary: Anon prompt: "please can we have a fic where Liv gets a college interview to study art and Aaron and Robert are each trying to help her get in? "





	Stars in Your Eyes

 

Liv talks non-stop all the way home from her Sixth-Form options evening. Robert watches her in the passenger side mirror as they pass under street-lights, the orange glow illuminating the excited blush on her cheeks.

“…and did you see the art room, those canvas drawings were so cool…”

Robert likes hearing her so enthusiastic, but he can also see that Aaron’s knuckles are tighter than usual on the steering wheel, and he’s chewing his lip like he always does when he’s debating whether to say something or not.

“..didn’t you think so?” Liv says, bringing her rant to a halt.

“Yeah, it was great!” Robert says, not completely sure which part she was talking about, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

“What about you Aaron?” She prompts, when her brother remains silent.

“Yeah, good.”

“You could be a bit more enthusiastic. You were the one who wanted me to stay on in school after my GCSEs, remember?” Liv huffs.

“Yeah, sorry. It’s just a lot to take in.” Aaron says, but he’s still biting his lip, so Robert knows that there’s more he’s not saying.

\--

Robert makes them all tea when they get home, and the three of them gather around the kitchen table with their mugs, the surface strewn with application forms and glossy college brochures. Poppy, their golden retriever, lays down under the table, her chin resting on Aaron’s socked foot.

“We should look through the option lists, to make sure you can fit all the subjects you want to do in your timetable.” Robert suggests, keen to redirect Liv’s positive energy into some practical plans.

The two of them spend the next few minutes highlighting and making notes on the papers, until they’re left with an application that reads:

_Application for A-Level Studies_

_Name: Olivia Flaherty_

_Subject 1: Art & Design_

_Subject 2: Photography_

_Subject 3: Drama_

_Subject 4: Media Studies_

“What do ya think?” Liv asks, pushing the sheet of paper towards Aaron, who has been quiet so far, choosing to sit back and watch them while sipping his tea.

“Yeah… I mean, as long as you’re sure that those are the best choices.” Aaron says uncertainly.

“What do ya mean, the best choices? They’re the ones I like so…” Liv trails off, obviously waiting for Aaron to explain.

Aaron sighs as he puts his mug down, rubbing his forehead, before responding carefully.

“I just thought… maybe it would be worth… picking a couple of subjects that are a bit, I dunno, safer.”

“Safer?” Liv asks sharply, her face already deeply unimpressed.

Robert cringes internally, already knowing that this isn’t going to go down well.

“Liv, of course I want you to do what you enjoy, but I think you should also be a bit… practical. The subjects you’ve chosen are all great, but creative subjects…they might be quite hard to get a job with…”

“So what you’re saying is I’m not good enough to do it!” Liv cuts across him, clearly angry now.

“What? No! Of course that’s not what I meant!” Aaron says, alarmed that she’d jumped to that conclusion.

“Look I‘m sure Aaron didn’t mean…” Robert starts, but Liv is having none of it now. She shoves away from the table, her chair legs scraping loudly on the floor, causing Poppy to jump up in alarm, skittering away towards the sofa.

“Forget it! You obviously don’t care what I want, so what’s the point!” Liv yells, shoving the application papers on the floor, and stomping off up the stairs.

Robert sighs, drains the rest of the tea from his mug, and sets about collecting the papers scattered all over the floor.

“What?” Aaron demands, obviously in a confrontational mood now. “Do you think I’m wrong?”

“Not necessarily” Robert says diplomatically, as he takes their mugs over to the sink.

“Then why aren’t you backing me up here?” Aaron counters.

Robert sighs as he returns to his seat.

“I don’t think you’re wrong Aaron. Careers in art, or drama, or whatever can be hard. But Liv is getting older, and she’s going to start making her own decisions. I just think it’s best if we support her, that’s all.”

Aaron looks conflicted, so Robert tries to explain.

“Look, when I was a kid, my dad was adamant that I was going to be a farmer, pretty much from the second I was born, and in a lot of ways it made sense. The farm was established, I’d have had my family around me, I wouldn’t have needed to worry all that much about school. There was just one thing he never considered, and that was what I _wanted_ to do.”

“I couldn’t imagine you as a farmer.” Aaron says, snorting.

“Neither could I, and that was the problem.” Robert tells him, sighing. “My dad was fuming when I finally plucked up the courage to tell him, acted like I’d let him down and betrayed the family. He could never understand why I’d give up a cosy, ready-made career. I think he thought I was doing in out of spite, but I wasn’t, I just wanted more from my life. Even if ‘more’ was harder, or took longer.”

Aaron’s face is softer now, more understanding, as he reaches to squeeze Robert’s hand on top of the table.

“And now I’m doing the same thing to Liv.” Aaron says, guilt colouring his voice.

“No.” Robert tells him firmly. “You and my dad are nothing alike. I don’t think you were wrong to warn her about the difficulties, because you’re right, it might be harder for her and I think she needs to know that. But that girl upstairs, she’s tough, and smart, and resilient, and I like to think we’ve helped her be like that.”

“I know. I just can’t help wanting to wrap her in cotton wool, especially after the childhood she’s had. It would break my heart to watch her struggle or fail at something that she loves.”

“Well, even if she does, she won’t be doing it alone will she? Whatever happens we’ll be there for her.”

“Yeah… yeah you’re right.” Aaron says, expression soft as he leans across the corner of the table to press his lips to Robert’s.

“Ugh! Can we skip the soppy crap and get to the apologies part please!” Liv’s voice echoes suddenly. As the men turn their heads towards the stairs, they can see her trainers at the top of the spiral staircase, where she’s clearly sitting, just out of sight, listening to them talk.

\--

“Okay… run through it one more time.”

“Ugh! Again?” Liv complains, flopping dramatically onto the note-strewn table.

“Um, Rob? Maybe Liv should take a break. We’ve been going over the notes for her interview for hours now.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being prepared.” Robert insists.

“I know!” Aaron reassures him, squeezing his husband’s knee under the table to try and ease the sting of what he says next. “But honestly, I think you’re stressing her out more now.”

“Told ya.” Liv mutters.

“Why don’t you go watch some TV and chill out for a bit, then you need to get a good night’s sleep.” Aaron tells his grumpy sister.

“Can I play xbox?” She asks, cheering up instantly, already heading towards the TV.

“Only for an hour, but go on.” Aaron calls after her, before turning back to Robert.

“Look I didn’t mean…”

“I was just trying to help.” Robert says, obviously in a strop to rival Liv herself now.

“I know, and you have! Me an’ Liv wouldn’t have had a clue how to prepare for a college interview without ya. I just don’t want either of us putting too much pressure on her, that’s all.”

“Yeah Rob!” Liv’s teasing voice floats across the room.

“Oi. Just because he’s being pushy, doesn’t mean you should be ungrateful!” Aaron tells her.

“Alright, point taken.” Robert says to both of them, holding his hands up in surrender.

“Good.” Aaron says, snatching up the spare xbox controller from the shelf. “Now who’s arse am I kicking first?”

\--

“Liv, if you’re going to keep pacing, go outside. You’re doing my head in.” Aaron snaps, as Liv stomps around the kitchen for the fifth time in ten minutes.

“You’re sure the post hasn’t been yet? What if Poppy ate it?” Liv frets, wringing her hands.

“Yes, we’re sure.” Robert says reassuringly, sipping at his morning coffee, the calm influence between two jittery siblings waiting for Liv’s letter from the college admissions department.

When the letter box finally does rattle, Liv stops pacing. Only now she seems too frozen to move, so Robert goes over to retrieve the envelope.

“Sit down and open it then.” Robert tells her, tossing the one letter with Liv’s name on down onto the table in front of her. Liv just slumps into the seat, looking pale, and makes no move to pick it up.

“I can’t look” she says, her voice strained.

“Don’t be daft, just open it.” Aaron argues.

“You do it then.” Liv snipes back.

“Oh for god’s sake, _I’ll_ do it.” Robert says, snatching up the envelope, unable to bear the atmosphere anymore.

He reads the letter through thoroughly, despite the two sets of eyes burning into him.

“Well?” Aaron demands.

“I’m so sorry Liv.” Robert says evenly, avoiding her downcast eyes. “It looks like you’re going to have to stay in school a bit longer.”

“Wait, what?” She asks, confused.

“They’ve offered you a place. You got in!” Robert tells her, a grin spreading across his face.

Robert isn’t sure which hits him harder, the punch to the shoulder that Aaron gives him for teasing them, or the blow to his torso as Liv barrels into him for a hug.

“I actually did it.” Liv says breathlessly, as she turns to give Aaron an equally big hug.

“Course you did!” Aaron tells her, kissing the top of her head. “I think this calls for a celebration breakfast at the caff. What do ya say?”

“Hell yeah!”

“Definitely.”


End file.
